Photographic-film-developing apparatus



J. HUFFNAGLE. PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM DEVELOPING APPARATUS.

' APPLICATION min JUNE 14, 1919.

Patent/ed Nov. 16, 1920.

' IN VEN TOR I JO/IIIHI/fffl WITNESS:

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HUFIFNAGLE, OF GERMANTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

PHOTOGBAPHiC-FILM-DEVELOPING APPARATUS.

Application filed June 14,

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN I'IUFFNAGLE, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Germantown, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvementsin Photographic- Film-DevelopingApparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to photography and more particularly to ap aratus for use in connection therewith and to provide an apparatus for the developing, washing, and fixing of films.

The invention comprehends' among other features a device which is adapted for the use of roll films and in which there is provided a suitable tray or tank and a continuous apron which by reason'of certain mechanism is adapted to be operated to pass into and out of the tray and the solution con- 7 tained therein, the apron carrying the roll film to be developed and involving novel features of construction wherebv the progress of developing a particular film or films in the roll, can be carefully watched, thus in-. suring development of each film to the proper degree. I I

Still further the invention coinprehends an apparatus consisting of few parts that can be readily assembled and which are of a very simple nature, theapparatus being not only designed for the development of the films, but also for the washing and fixing thereof; p

In the further disclosure of the invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings constitutinga part of this specification. in. which similar characters of refercncedeuote corresponding parts in all the;

views. and in which,--

Figure 'lis a fragmentary end elevation of the apparatus, parts being broken away to disclose the umlerlying'structure.

Fig. 2- is a plan view. i Fig. 3- isa vertical transverse sectional view.

4- is a fragmentary perspective view Sl'lOWlXlQ the vlower end of one of the standards of the frame.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the manner of supporting the crank. Referring more particularly to the views I provide atray which may be of any suitable shape and design and which at the sides thereof, carries a plurality of opposed sockets 11 adapted to receive the lower porhas for an object Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Non 1 6, 1920.

1919. Serial N0. 304,234.

tions of tubular standards 12. By reference to F i 4. it will be seen thatthe lower end of eac standard is formed with a slot 13 and by reference to Fig. 5, it will be seen that each socket 11 has a cut out portion 14, each standard furthermore opposite the slot 13, having a cut out portion 25 with said out out portions provided for the purpose that will be hereinafter more fully disclosed. The standards 12 form a part of a frame designated in its entirety by the numoral. .16, and which includes an inverted-U- shaped part 17 having the longer straight portions or legs 18 thereof adapted to slide in the tubular standards 12 with suitable I screws 19 passing through the standards to bear against the legs 18 for the adjustment of the portion 18 of the frame relative to the standards.

A horizontal shaft 20 is mounted in the portion 18 of the frame near the top thereof and carries a spool 21, a similar spool 22 being adapted to be disposed adjacent the lower parts of the tubular standards and between the same with a shaft 23 of a crank 24 adapted to ass through the spool and hold the spool rigidly thereon, the extremity of the shaft 23 passing through the slot 13 and cut-away portion 15 of one of the standards with the shaft 23 ad acentthe crank .24 passing through the slot 13 and cut-away portion 15 of the usual standard and also seating in the cut out portion 14 of one of the sockets, so that the standards and sock ets have a means for revolubly supporting the shaft 23 which will of course be rotate when the crank 24 is operated. a 3

A continuous apron25 is passed around the spools 21, 22, as shown,and the 'apron is provided with a seriesofcut out portions or openings 26. A roll film, when removed from the usual film roller is adapted to be spread out in the nature of a long strip 1ndicated by the numeral 27 and which is passed around and over the apron 25 as shown, and secured to the apron by suitable to the apron as described, the clips 28 being provided for this purpose. rotation of the crank 24 will result in rotation of the spools 21, 22, because of the connecting apron, and

thus the fihn will be carried into and out of the tray and the solution 29 therein thereby resulting in the development of the film in the usual manner. Now by reference to Fig. 3, it will be seen that theoperator by looking in between the two sides of the apron at an angle, can gaze through one of the openings 26 and if a lamp such as the usual ruby light employed by photographers, is disposed on the opposite side of the apron, the image on the film will appear through the openings 26 and thus the operator in the operation of the machine can eas ily watch the film in the process of development and thereby discern when each par ticular' film of the roll or strip has received sufiicient development.

It is well known that in the ordinary development of roll films the operator uses merely a tray and grasping the film at the ends, imparts a swin ing movement thereto, causing the various lmsin the roll to pass into and out of the tray. This'swing'ing or see-saw motion is not only tiring but is not productive of accurate development of films and in fact it has been found that one must be an adept in order to properly accomplish the proper development of a in this manner.

\Vith my device however, the machine can be operated by an amateur and if a film discerned through one of the openings 26' has not received sufiicient development, it can be readily brought back to the solution in the tray so that the" former can act upon the film and insure a further development thereof.

With my device it will also be seen that Y the frame can be adjusted vertically to compensate to the particular length of the film roll or strip and that by having the film roll mounted immediately over the tray, the

fluid solution adhering to the film after it passes out of the tray, will readily run back into the tray. By providing aprons 25 of different lengths, it will be clear that films of corresponding lengths can be developed with the same apparatus. Still further it will be noted that each film as it passes through the solution is treated to an equal amount thereof, being carried to the same de th as the preceding film or films in the roll or strip and this has also been found to be of advantage in the development fiflllfi roll films.

' Although I have particularly described my device as used for the developing of films it will be understood that the developing solution 29 can be removed from the tray after development and a quantity of water su stituted after which the crank 24 is onerated to bring the films effectively into the water and wash the same, thereby removing the developing solution and then later, after the films have been washed the water can be removed from the tray and a fixing solution poured therein, after which operation of the crank 24 will bring the films into contact with the fixing solution to fix the same.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the device described consists of few and simple parts; that they can readily be taken down and the entire apparatus folded into a compact package, and thatbecause of the simplicity and construction of the apparatus, the same can be cheaply manufactured to effectively accomplish the purpose for which it is desired.

Having described my invention, I claim,-

1. A developing apparatus for films comprising a tray, sockets on the tray, a frame including tubular standards and an auxiliary portion slidable in said standards, with said standards adapted for disposition in the sockets on the tray, spools, one of said spools being revolubly supported on the auxiliary portion of the frame and the other spool disposed between the standards near the lower ends thereol and in said tray, a crank shaft carrying said other spool, said crank shaft being journaled in said standards, and a continuous apertured apron passing around said spools and adapted upon revolution of the crank shaft, to be carried into and out of said tray by the rotation of the spools.

2. A developing apparatus for films comprising a tray, sockets on the tray, a frame including tubular standards and an auxiliary portion slidable in said standards. with said standards adapted for disposition in the sockets on the tray, spools, one of said spools being revolubly supported on the auxiliary portion of the frame and the other spool disposed between the standards near the lower ends thereof and in said tray. a crank shaft carrying said other spool, said crank shaft being journaled in said standards, a continuous apertured apron passing around said spools and adapted upon revolution of the crank shaft, to be carried into and out of said tray by the rotation of the spools, and means for passing the auxiliary portion of said frame relative to the standards thereof.

3. A developing apparatus for films comprising a tray, sockets on the tray, a frame including tubular standards and an auxiliary portion slidable in said standards, with said standards adapted for disposition in the sockets on the tray, spools, one of said spools being revolubly supported on the auxiliary portion of the frame and the other spool disposed between the standards near the lower ends thereof and in said tray, a crank shaft carrying said other spool, said crank shaft being journaled in said standards, a continuous apertured apron passing around said spools and adapted upon revolution of s the crank shaft, to be carried into and out of said tray by the rotation of the spools, means for passing the auxiliary portion of said frame relative to the standards thereof, and means for attaching the film of said apron with the exposed parts of the film in juxtaposition to the apertures in the apron.

4. developing apparatus for films comprising in eombinatlon with an extendible frame, an apron revolubly carried upon the frame and provided with apertures, said apron being adapted to have the film attached thereto with the exposed portions of the film in juxtaposition to the apertures of the apron.

5. A developing apparatus for films eomprising in combination with an extendible frame, an apron revolubly carried upon the frame and provided with apertures, said apron being adapted to have the film attached thereto with the exposed portions of the film in juxtaposition to the apertures of the apron, and means for revolving said apron on said frame.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JOHN HUFFNAGLE. 

